Transport and Trucking News

What would happen if products slowly started to disappear from the store shelves? What if tooth brushes were no longer available, if the pharmacy couldn’t fill your prescription, or if you couldn’t access bottled water due to lack of plastic? Occasionally, we get a glimpse into the importance of our transportation network in times of natural disasters when product deliveries slow to a crawl.

The term “Moving America” to describe truck drivers is not just catchy, it’s true. Without our hard working truck drivers working all over the country, America would not be able to run as it is accustom to. The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS), a joint effort between the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the U.S. Census Bureau, is part of the economic census taken in 5-year intervals and was most recently conducted in 2012. It is the primary source of national and state-level data on domestic freight shipments within major industries in the U.S. The data reported in the CFS is used by policy makers and transportation planners throughout various federal, state, and local agencies.

Trucks can be seen all over the roads of America so it is easy to draw the conclusion, and the CFS confirms, that trucking is the predominant mode of shipment in the U.S. Its biggest competitor is the railroad system, but when you compare the stats, it’s a distant second to the total goods shipped by the trucking industry.

The CFS also showed the tonnage of U.S. shipments by industry in the graph below.

September 13-19 is officially driver appreciation week. Across the county different events are taking place to show America’s appreciation of their truck drivers. If companies don’t get their supplies, they won’t be able to make their products and the economy would struggle. Our truck driver truly do move America.

A term has been floating around for the past year or so that can sound a bit intimidating to some – Autonomous Trucks. Many questions and fears come to mind about the effect this technology will have on transportation jobs and the driver shortage. The fear to put to rest is this idea that “autonomous” means “driver-less.” This is far from the truth. In fact, it is the hope that this technology will help with the driver shortage, not by taking jobs from the drivers, but by making their job more enjoyable, easier and improving their quality of life.

Level 0 - driver is in complete control of the primary controls of the vehicle.

Level 1 - involves automation of one or more specific control functions. For example, vehicle automatically assists with braking.

Level 2 - involves automation of at least two primary control functions designed to work in unison to relieve the driver of certain functions. For example, cruise control and lane centering.

Level 3 - limited self-driving automation that allows the driver to relinquish control of all safety-critical functions under certain conditions. The driver is always available to take back control when necessary. (This is the kind of truck being demonstrated).

Level 4 - full self-driving vehicle, requiring no driver control other than someone to input the destination. (Freightliner has said it has no interest in developing a Level 4 truck).

Level 3 is the level currently being pursued and a Level 4 is a very long ways down the road and may never come to be because of the major regulatory, legal and social roadblocks.

This automation is something for drivers to be excited about, not worried. Wilfried Achenbach, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Technology for Daimler Trucks North America, explained that the human brain and eye have the ability to process information/input from their surroundings rapidly and then make a quick decision. “Software today is far from being able to handle that,” Achenbach said. Therefore, current autonomous-technology programs focus on less-complex on-highway operations, or pre-programmed routes, with the driver available to take over when necessary.

Behind the technology

Such trucks have been introduced by a few manufacturers; from the Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025to the Freightliner Inspiration Truck. The pilot systems use a combination of technology such as radar sensors, a stereo camera behind the windshield, three-dimensional maps and V2V/V2I communication (exchange of information between the truck and other vehicles and the roadway).

Peterbilt also has been researching and presenting autonomous technologies. Bill Kahn, manager of advanced concepts at Peterbilt, refers to the technology as “advanced driver assist systems” rather than autonomous. GPS-based autopilot systems are being researched to allow for preprogrammed courses in urban environments. The concept is “drivers become less of a driver and more of a decision maker” says Kahn.

What this means for the driver

The main thing that has been emphasized by the technologies developers is that these are NOT driver-less trucks. These are advances aimed to improve the safety and efficiency of the trucking industry with drivers at the helm directing and making decisions only drivers can make.

Daimler Trucks North America feels that the autonomous systems reduce driving stress and increase driver health. Research done by Freightliner found that sleepiness is reduced by as much as 25% when in the autonomous mode. When the drivers were questioned about sleepiness they appeared more rested and refreshed.

This new technology allows the driver to sit back a bit and enjoy the ride instead of having to constantly be vigilance and alert – something that quickly weighs on a person. It opens up the possibility for drivers to get other work done, such as locating backhauls or tackling office applications to improve efficiency.

Let us know your thoughts about this new technology by commenting on our Facebook page.

During the 2014 Roadcheck, brake-related violations represented 46.2% of all out-of-service violations. 13,305 vehicles were inspected in last year’s brake safety week. Of those inspected, 2,162 vehicles were placed out of service for brake violations. 2014 saw an increase across the board in the number of vehicles placed out- of- service for various brake related issues. Since the previous year, vehicles placed out-of-service for brakes overall rose 2.7%, for brake components rose 2.2% and for brake adjustment we saw an increase of 1.4%. The below graph shows the out-of-service rate since 2011.

As technology advances, the term predictive maintenance has emerged. Predictive maintenance is the proactive analysis and monitoring that can predict and prevent equipment failure before it occurs. This is different from preventative maintenance, which is regular maintenance performed on a piece of equipment to lessen the likelihood of it failing. Predictive maintenance provides sufficient warning for maintenance to be planned and executed purposefully, as opposed to unplanned reactive maintenance due to failure. New technology has emerged that can combine that big data performance history with real-time, on-the-road telematics and diagnostic capability.

Understanding how drivers operate their trucks is critical to understanding the wear and tear on the vehicle. Driver mechanical behavior includes things such as how the driver is braking, using the clutch, shifting gears, using the engine brake, etc. The technology takes into account ergonomics and simple factors such as pedal position, compressor use, and time given the turbines to spin up and down when turning the engines on and off and then analyzes the effects which then provides actionable solutions. Improvements are already being made. Something as simple as reassessing pedal position saved a bus fleet 30% on fuel and also reduced brake pad replacements by 30%.

Some feel the predictive maintenance technology is still 24 months out before it would be able to effectively give recommendations to optimize performance and anticipate problems. Others believe that the time for predictive maintenance is now. Traffilog is one of the leaders in this new all-encompassing technology.

Telematics technology was first developed by the Israeli military and has now been commercialized. The technology is in 41 countries and has gathered around 14 billion miles of vehicle performance data. This technology takes current diagnostics and reporting a step further. For example, it not only tracks the driver safety event that triggers alerts but digs deeper to monitor exactly how the driver is driving the truck and what the surrounding conditions are at the time. It looks into trends for things such as brakes, oil temperature, gearboxes, clutches, turbos, and more.

The new technology acts as a central hub for everything from in-cab cameras to dispatch software. What makes it stand out among the rest is its ability to analyze the data and predict factors that will cause future problems and address them now.

The trucking industry has seen some positive growth over the past year. According to Noel Perry, senior consultant with FTR Transportation Intelligence, “This has been a strong recovery for truck freight growth, and I expect truck freight growth to continue, reaching 3.2% in 2016.

Trucking companies are expected to rebound as the economy growth improves, demand stabilizes and capacity tightens. Chief economist for the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Bob Costello, echoes these positive expectations for the industry as the ATA recently released annual industry trends.

You don’t have to watch the weather to tell that the country is in the midst of a heat wave. According the national weather service the majority of the country is experiencing temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit and the heat index values are as high as 115 degrees in some areas.

In conditions like these, heat illnesses should not be taken lightly. In a study done by researchers at Loughborough University in England, they found that even mild dehydration while driving has the same effects as drunk driving. Even mildly dehydrated drivers made as many errors as people who drive with a blood alcohol of 0.08 percent. Errors included things like lane drifting, late braking, or crossing over a rumble strip.

Paying attention to and knowing the signs of heat illness is vital to your safety as well as others. Types of heat illness include:

Drink lots of WATER – stop worrying about the bathroom breaks. Your health is more important than shaving a few minutes off your time on the road. OSHA encourages people to drink a liter of water over one hour, this is about 1 cup every fifteen minutes. Be sure to avoid highly caffeinated drinks which lead to dehydration and take time to rest and cool down when out on the road.

For more information about heat illness and how to protect yourself OSHA offers several resources. They offer literature, videos, and even an app. Lets beat the heat!

We are living in a world of ever growing technology; technology that affects nearly every facet of our lives whether it is at home, school, leisure or work. As transportation professionals it is our job to stay in touch and informed on the changes that affect our careers. As our industry regulations mold and change based on technology and telemetrics you, the driver, may have noticed a rise in the use of technology like e-logs and in-cab cameras. If you haven’t already driven a truck with a drive cam it is very likely you will soon.

Believe it or not these in-cab cameras are not being installed for the sole purpose of watching what the driver is doing. In fact the cameras don’t watch the driver at all. The onboard camera is running the entire trip, however it only records and reports on certain events. These events include:

Hard Braking

Hard turning

Striking another object

Hitting a pothole or road debris

Speeding

Running a stop sign

When one of these things happen, the system in the truck is activated and an “event“ is recorded. The on-board system captures up to 8 seconds of video before the event and up to 8 seconds after. The footage is saved as a file and transmitted to the company’s operations and safety personnel for viewing. The standard cameras record the front view out of the truck’s windshield and a view of the driver’s activities at the time of the event. More complex versions of the system have camera views down both sides of the truck and trailer as well capturing any side impacts or events not seen in the standard front view. While some of these events are not attributed to driver neglect the cameras capture the following in-cab driver activities:

Texting

Talking on the phone

Eating

Falling asleep

Not wearing seatbelts

According to a representative from a large logistics company, the installation of in-cab cameras has saved the company over $1 million in the first 2 months of operation and it is estimated that the company will save over $10 million in litigation and damage costs by the end of 2015. In order to operate the cameras and have the ability to prove innocence, the companies using this technology must agree to also record the driver’s activities at the time of the event. One thing to note is the company cannot just install cameras in all their trucks and begin using them. There is a certification process the company has to go through first that involves limited testing and reporting of results. As part of the program, companies using in-cab cameras must have policies in place that are designed to correct or eliminate unsafe driver behavior.

It is the cameras main purpose to create a safer environment and protect those involved in accidents. This technology is advantageous when discrepancies arise. For example, a driver was cut off abruptly, leading to a small bump in the front of her rig. When the blame was cast on the driver by the other individual involved, the double sided camera cleared the driver of the accusation and proved she was not at fault. These cameras are just one example of the evolving and innovative technology to come in the trucking industry. With new built in cameras, advance GPS, and e-log systems drivers are protected and safety will increase.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a major initiative to address the rear-underride crash protection and visibility of single-unit trucks. These are trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or greater with no trailer. The agency has put out an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), a way for obtaining public and stakeholder participation regarding a regulatory change. The ANPRM seeks input on the estimated cost and benefits of safety strategies for the vehicles.

“This announcement is about protecting more drivers and passengers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “These vehicles are essential to transportation systems, and we have a duty to the traveling public to take every opportunity to strengthen truck safety.”

The NHTSA is looking at regulations that would require rear impact guards and placing reflective tape on the back and side of single-unit trucks. The agency estimates the rear impact guards could save 5 lives and prevent 30 injuries a year. Similarly, it is estimated the addition of reflective tape will save 14 lives a year.

The kicker, the price tag. To equip roughly 342,000 vehicles with rear impact guards would cost approximately $669 million. To add reflective tape to around 579,000 vehicles would cost approximately $30 million annually.

The goal behind this ANPRM is the raise the public’s awareness and improve the visibility of trucks on the road. Let your opinion be heard and read more about the ANRPM.

You only need to be 18 to get a commercial license, but Federal law prevents you from crossing state lines until you reach the age of 21. It is illogical that a 20-year-old can drive the 500 miles from San Francisco to San Diego, but not the eight miles from Memphis, Tenn., to West Memphis, Ark. – or simply cross the street in Texarkana. Even more illogical is that a 20-year-old may not drive a truck in any state if the cargo in it originated outside the state or will eventually leave the state by some other means,” said American Trucking Association (ATA) President and CEO Bill Graves.

Recently Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb. and co-sponsor Sen. Jon Tester, D-MT introduced a bill under the Commercial Driver Act declaring that contiguous states may enter into interstate compacts for drivers under the age of 21 to operate across state lines. Participating states would provide minimum licensure standards acceptable for interstate travel.

Four possible minimum licensure standards to be determined by the state are:

Age restrictions

Distance from origin

Reporting requirements

Additional hours of service restrictions

The ATA is a strong proponent of the bill. By lowering the required age at which commercial drivers can operate across state lines, the ATA feels it would create job opportunities and address the growing driver shortage. In addition, the ATA says, the legislation will increase the jobs available for recent high school graduates; a group that
suffers unemployment rates up to triple the national average.

As our population grows and our freight demands increase, we are going to need more drivers,” Graves said. "The Commercial Driver Act helps solve two problems by expanding the pool of eligible drivers and creating employment opportunities for younger Americans."

Starting this Friday, July 10, 2015, trucks arriving at the Canadian border will be required to submit their cargo and conveyance data using the eManifest system at least an hour before arrival or be penalized. Data is to be submitted through a secure website and motor carriers must have a special code to log in. Failure to submit your cargo and conveyance data will result in delays at the border. Take the time to learn now because after January 2016 those delays will be coupled with financial penalties and potential rejection altogether.

The agency has published a top 10 list of things you need to know about eManifest:

Highway carriers’ electronic cargo and conveyance data must be given to and validated by CBSA at least one hour before arriving at the border.

CBSA will communicate the mandatory compliance dates at least 45 days in advance

During informed compliance period, eManifest will monitor and give feedback to non-compliant carriers

During informed compliance period, carriers will be denied into Canada or subject to penalties

When regulations are in place to enforce eManifest requirements, non-compliant carriers may incur penalties

Two options to transmit cargo and conveyance data to CBSA, 1) the eManifest Portal or 2) an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Method

Drivers must present an eManifest lead sheet upon arrival at the border

2014 has turned out to be the best year for the supply chain industry since the Great Recession, with 3.6% growth in the transportation sector. This is due to the higher shipment volumes seen in the past year.

The State of Logistics Report by Rosalyn Wilson, senior business analyst at Parsons, found that overall the U.S. economy did well in 2014, crediting low to moderate levels of inflation, reduced fuel prices, and the slow increase in real net income and household net worth. Wilson reported, “As consumer spending increased, freight levels climbed as retailers replenished inventories.”

Truck tonnage has increase 3.5% causing truck capacityto become extremely tight moving closer to 100% utilization. A healthier economy is in sight and customer demand is expected to continue to rise, but the capacity to fill that demand is what’s concerning- the industry had a turnover rate at a whopping 95% annualized.

But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing for drivers. What this means for you is a plethora of opportunities to choose from. Driving jobs are plentiful with Centerline Drivers. We specialize in finding you the right driving job that fits your schedule and lifestyle whether that be close to home or over the road.

Three reasons to expect growth in the industry:

The recovering economy

Driver Shortage = more opportunities for new drivers and higher wages for experienced drivers

Did you know that not all driving jobs are created equal? It’s true you can get paid more by adding certifications and endorsements. Hazmat Endorsements,Moffett Experience, and Doubles/Triples endorsement are just a few specializations that can have a large impact on your paycheck.

By expanding your proficiency and training you can accomplish several things.

You make yourself more marketable. You are in a self-marketing industry and with that comes power. You have the power to land those desirable driving jobs by furthering your driver training.

Extra skills, endorsements and training open up more driving opportunities. You can simply pick the job that works best for you without the restriction of what the load is.

This all leads to more money in your pocket. Drivers with a Hazmat endorsement typically make around $1.00 - $2.00 dollars more per hour. Drivers who have Moffett training have greater flexibility. Advancing your skill set can keep you from worrying about finding your next driving job, but rather, you will have the pick of the litter!

To tackle the long debated topic of entry level driver training, the FMCSA has taken a new approach called negotiated rule making. The process? A 26-person panel of vehicle stakeholders was put together to discuss and provide a recommendations on key topics. The goal? To bring in key stakeholders sooner, rather than later, to create a successful outcome for the drivers, the companies and the customers.

The hot question is, should new driver training be performance-based or hours-based?

After several meetings, starting in April, the committee voted 24-2 recommending an hours-based training program. Boyd Stephenson of American Trucking Association and James Edwards of the National Association of Small Trucking Companies, were the two dissenting votes advocating for a performance-based, on-road training standard. Both believe demonstrating competency in the skill is more important than training hours.

A comprehensive package of recommendations will be given to the FMCSA. In addition to classroom time the committee’s recommendation includes:

30 hours of behind the wheel instruction for Class A CDL training, a minimum of 10 hours of range driving instruction and minimum of 10 hours of on-road instruction.

Yes, drivers whose CDL lapsed and who have a good driving record should not have to take a refresher course before retesting for CDLs.

Who is considered a new driver and must comply?

ELDT (entry level driver training) is something you have to do once and will be good forever. There may be different portions that require new training when moving up in certifications.

Will this apply to more than just truckers?

Intrastate drivers just like interstate drivers will be required to do ELDT. Committee agreed there needs to be a core curriculum and then additional ELDT for hazmat, passenger and school bus endorsement.

Will there be a National CDL?

No, although that may help in some regards, it is unrealistic politically. ID and Licensing is under State power and will remain there.

There will be many more meetings to come in order to review and revise the recent proposal FMCSA.

The 28th Annual Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck will be held June 2-4, 2015. CVSA-certified local, state, provincial and federal inspectors will conduct a 37-step, Level 1 inspection in North America of drivers and vehicles.

What should you expect? Drivers will have to provide items such as:

License

Endorsements

Medical Card

Hour-of-Service documentation

Drivers will also be checked for seatbelt usage and alcohol & drug use.

Vehicles will also have an inspection checking:

Brake system

Coupling devices

Exhaust system

Frame

Fuel system

Lights

Safe loading

Steering mechanism

Drive line

Suspension

Tires

Trailer bodies

Wheels

Rims

Windshield wipers

Emergency exits on buses

Last year's Roadcheck conducted a total of 73,475 inspections resulting in 11,420 out-of-service vehicle violations.

1. Get Your Truck In Tip-Top Shape. Before hitting the road with 37.2 million other drivers, this is a great time to check your tire pressure and replace those windshield wipers.
2. Watch Out For The Other Guy. While traveling long distances, many who don’t travel as much as commercial drivers fail to use their turn signals appropriately. Be vigilant and aware of where they are.
3. Distracted Drivers. When you notice a distracted driver, move away as soon as you can and remain at a safe distance.
4. Feeling Fatigued? Sitting in traffic jams can be stressful and can wear on your body. Pay attention to your body cues and take breaks.
5. Be On The Look Out. This is a prime weekend for families to break out the camping gear and motorcycles after the long winter, which means they may not remember how to use them safely. Keep an eye out. Also, rising temperatures and more vehicles on the road will produce more broken down cars on the shoulder. Give yourself enough room to get by.
6. Pack Your Patience. With so many people hitting the road, traffic jams are inevitable. Try to keep your cool and crank up the radio, it’ll pass.

While this weekend may be widely considered a fun-filled, three-day weekend, we need to remember the real reason for this day; a day of remembrance. Thank you to all those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and safety. And to those serving, who have served and their families, we thank you for all you do, every day for us.

Beginning June 22, 2018, the burden of Fed Med recordkeeping eases with a new ruling from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and a new electronic platform. The new system will automatically transmit the medical information to the FMCSA by the Medical Examiner (ME) and then to the state. Until then here, is what you need to know…

The new Medical Examination Report (MER) form collects much of the same info currently collected but it’s formatted differently. The new form will be available as soon as December 22, 2015, but electronic transmission will not begin until 2018. In the meantime, recordkeeping for CDL holders and motor carriers is status quo until the electronic system is launched in 2018.

A reminder of those requirements:

Select an ME from the NRCME.

Receive an MEC following the exam.

Submit a copy of the MEC to the state licensing office within 5 days in order to avoid any glitches in his or her licensing. The state will have 10 days to process the CDL holder’s medical status to have it appear on his or her motor vehicle record (MVR).

Carry their medical examiner’s certificate for 15 days following the exam.

In order to fight the obesity epidemic that leads to premature death in the trucking industry, several key health programs have been put in place. Several programs were launched in 2014 to identify fit drivers and encourage weight loss. This year, Prime, Inc. (a trucking and training company) is reserving 30 competition slots for drivers from other fleets to participate in its Fittest Trucker in America competition taking place on Aug. 29 in Springfield, MO. The objective this year is to make it a truly national competition. For more information on the competition including eligibility and online registration, visit the driver health and fitness site.

The trucking industry lost nearly 7,000 jobs in March according to the Department of Labor, but Centerline has hot driving jobs throughout North America. "We are not seeing this decline," said Rod Crowell, Centerline’s National Account Director. "In fact, we have a surge in opportunities for all types of local and regional driving routes available to meet each driver’s requirements."

The American Trucking Associations' chief economist Bob Costello recently reported high turn-over rates among large and small truckload carriers due to growing freight volumes, increasing regulatory pressures and normal attrition. At Centerline we seek to engage drivers, find them the best opportunities for their families and keep you with constant work.

As a Centerline driver, you are often responsible for touching freight and asked to use safe lifting techniques to ensure you don’t get injured on the job. It is important to review the basics when it comes to loading and unloading. Common injuries include those with back strains resulting from reaching and bending awkwardly.

Three aspects of lifting that increase your risk of injury include:

Bending, reaching, and twisting while lifting

Handling heavy loads

Repetitive motions over and over

Three ways to reduce your risk include:

Use mechanical assistance to reduce physical load on your body

Raise the load to reduce bending at the waist

Rotate the load to reduce the need to reach and lift away from the body.

1 in 3 drivers have been involved in one or more serious crash during their careers.

40% ​of crash related injuries could have been prevented by wearing a seat belt.

Centerline values the safety of its drivers, and encourages use of a safety belt every time a vehicle is in use. According to FMSCA, the 2013 CMV Driver Safety Belt Usage Study found that only 84 percent of CMV drivers wear safety belts.

In accordance with Section 392.16 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), a CMV which has a seat belt assembly installed at the driver's seat shall not be driven unless the driver has properly restrained himself/herself with the seat belt assembly.